Angel Di María: Feliz Cumpleaños Fideo | OneFootball

Angel Di María , in my opinion, has been highly underrated. He may have not won a Ballon d’Or, or be as popular as Cristiano and Messi, but his cabinet of trophies is the testament to his greatness as a player. His knack for scoring clutch goals in every final he has played is not luck – it’s skill. Happy Birthday Fideo!

Early Years

Di María started his career in Rosario Central in Argentina. His family struggled financially and it was difficult to support Angel’s soccer hobby. Upon signing his first professional contract at 19, he reputedly asked his father to not work any more, and purchased a house for his parents and sisters.

Europe

Di María at Benfica (Source) -cropped from original

Di María transferred to SL Benfica in July of 2007 to fill the shoes of Benfica’s departing captain, Simao. It took another two years, however, before he experienced his breakthrough 2009-10 season. Di María signed a new deal with Benfica after he had provided a hat-trick of assists in the Europa League Group Stage against Everton that ended in a 5-0 stomp. He was also praised by Maradona, who declared Di María was “Argentina’s next superstar”.

Real Madrid came knocking at Benfica’s door to acquire Di María in June 2010. He signed a five-year contract for €25 million, plus €11 million in incentives. That year Madrid won the Copa del Rey final 1-0 against Barcelona that ended, and although Cristiano’s header in extra time that was the winner, it was his cross that made it possible. His sending off moments later could dampen the thrill of winning his first trophy. Di María battled injury during the 2011-12 season but still helped Madrid win the La Liga trophy. Between 2012 and 2014 Di María and Madrid would win: the Supercopa de España, another Copa del Rey, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup.

Turbulance

Entering into the 2014 World Cup on such a run of form, expectations were high for Argentina. Alas, in one of soccer’s “what if” stories, they lost to Germany in the finals while he watched from the bench after suffering a muscle tear in the quarterfinals.

Then came the high-profile transfer to Manchester United. At the time, it was one of the most expensive transfers of all time and the highest ever fee paid by a British club. In a letter he sent to Real Madrid fans, he claimed that he never wanted to leave Bernabeu, but that the club’s board had been unsupportive and “someone may not like me.” He claimed the board has pressured him to not play in the World Cup final, for fear of aggravating his injury and hurting his market value.

Di María entered Manchester United under a press cloud and still recovering from the World Cup injury. But he started strong, scoring four goals and providing three assists in the first six weeks. Another injury, however, sidelined him and he never fully recovered to his previous form. There were rumors he and manager Louis van Gaal did not see eye-to-eye. The Daily Telegraph declared Di María was the worst signing of the season.

Twilight To Remember

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – DECEMBER 18: Angel Di Maria of Argentina celebrates after the team’s victory in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

After one year at Old Trafford Di María moved over to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. Beloved by the Ultras, he won 5x French Cups, 4x French League Cups, 5x French Super Cups, and 5x Ligue 1 titles with the club. His farewell ovation at the Parc des Princes was raucous. He left PSG having scored 92 goals and registering 112 assists.

As Di María entered the final years of his career, his journey would take him through two emotional homecomings. First, he transferred to Juventus (Di María is of Italian heritage and holds an Italian passport) for a season. Second, he returned back to where it all began: Benfica. Though many assumed his peak had passed, Di María continued to defy expectations, providing 31 goals over those three seasons.

It was during this twilight period that Di María played a pivotal role in Argentina’s Golden Era. He was instrumental in securing back to back Copa América triumphs, including the historic 2021 victory that ended Argentina’s 28 year title drought. But the crowning moment of his career came in 2022 when he helped lead Argentina to World Cup glory. His goal in the final against France, a classic Di María finish in a moment of ultimate pressure, ensured his place among the nation’s footballing legends.